Cap Gun Collective hires Botkin for new L.A. office, Jake Banks joins Prettybird and more
Commercial production company Cap Gun Collective has opened a Los Angeles office, hiring Jason Botkin as executive producer. Botkin (pictured, left, with founding EP Matt Abramson) was most recently as EP for Furlined, prior to which he was the founder and managing director of music video company Streetgang Films. Cap Gun Collective, which was originally founded in Chicago in 2009 and opened an office in London in 2011, has also launched an original content offering, Cap Gun TV (CGTV) and a new website. 
Prettybird has signed director and former founder of Stardust Jake Banks to its roster. Banks founded the creative studio Stardust in 2003, selling it 10 years later, and also helped launch Fuel Creative, Razorfish and Brand New School. Banks has created films for the likes of Apple, Google, AT&T, Coke, EA Sports and IBM. He recently debuted a mobile app, Hater, at SXSW.
Feature film group Strange Weather Films has formed a strategic partnership with The Sweet Shop, which will see it developing and co-producing feature film content for the The Sweet Shop's roster of directors. The joint venture's first project will be directed by Melanie Bridge (pictured) and will be based on an original book by author Jay Furby. Strange Weather leads Andrew Adamson, Aron Warner, and Jeffrey Fierson are responsible for films including Shrek, The Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and 21 Jump Street.
ShootersINC has signed seven new directors: Scott Whitham, Robert Adamo, Kris Magyarits, Rob Markopoulos, Ira Rosensweig, Judy Starkman and Julian van Mil. Whitham (pictured) has earned directing awards for companies such as Comcast, National Geographic, Campbell's Soup, Sprint, A&E, Bristol Myers Squibb, Mattel, Lockheed Martin and Disney. Adamo has shot films for brands from Hood Milk to Harley Davidson, while Magyarits' recent work for includes spots Transitions Lenses and Sysco Foods and Markopoulos for the likes of Dick's Sporting Goods, the ASPCA, Comcast, PA Lottery and Capital Blue Cross. Rosensweig specialies in comedy writing and directing commercials as well as short-form content for MTV Networks. Starkman has directed documentaries including "Hollywood Men," a four-hour documentary series for the British network, ITV, which was nominated for a BAFTA award, whlie van Mil specialises in digital as well as live action work. 
East Pleasant has added directing team CRUSH+LAB to its roster, bringing director David Solomini, producer Alexander Kafi and creative director/stylist Paula Tabalipa on board. The team has worked on fashion films, TV, and branded content as well as commercials. Clients have included broadcast and cable networks, fashion brands, auto companies, telecommunications, magazines and more.
Production studio Breed has signed directors David Lodge, Simon Robson and Thomas Cobb to its roster and hired executive producer Peter Steinzeig to head up its Los Angeles office. Steinzeig is a former executive producer with Backyard Productions and Pixomondo, and will work with company founders and executive producers Rich Rama (right) and Zak Thornborough (left) to develop the year-old shop. Lodge has been represented for commercials in the UK by RSA London since 2007, and has shot spots for brands including McDonald's, Vodafone, BT, Ikea and most recently, "Aliens" for Kellogg's. Robson specialises in a hybrid animation/live action style which he has used on spots for W+K London, 180 Amsterdam and DDB, Sydney. He joins Breed from Animal Logic. Cobb is the founder of his own live action production and motion-design company whose recent work has included the opening sequences for Homeland and Weeds.
Editorial house Spot Welders has expanded by launching a new VFX company, Shipping and Handling, appointing VFX supervisor Casey Price and executive producer J. Patrick McElroy to head it up. The new company, housed in a collection of shipping containers on the Spot Welders property in Venice, CA, will work with outside clients as well as on Spot Welder projects. Price (right) has worked both as a VFX artist and supervisor, with work including Visa's 2008 Olympics campaign, while at D-Train. McElroy (left) takes on the development of the new division from his previous position as producer at Spot Welders, where he has been for three years.
Cut+Run has added senior producer Amburr Farls to its team in its Los Angeles office. Farls was most recently at Arcade Edit where she served as senior producer for three years. Prior to that, she was senior producer at Beast, and worked as a producer at both Filmcore and Trailer Park. She began her career as creative director's assistant and then producer for advertising agency Colby & Partners.
